System for preventing loss of cellular phone or the like

• US 5,796,338 A
• Filed: 02/03/1997
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avogadro Maxwell Boltzman LLC
• Original Assignee: Aris Mardirossian, Inc.
• Inventors: Mardirossian, Aris
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr., Thomas J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/794,636
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/571, 340/572, 340/539, 340/693, 340/825.36, 340/825.44, 340/825.49, 340/531, 340/573, 455/89, 455/90, 455/134, 455/404, 455/426, 455/31.3, 379/37, 379/38, 379/39
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system and method for reducing the risk of cellular phone loss, misplacement, and/or theft, the system including a wireless transmitter in a cell phone for intermittently sending security signals to a device (e.g. pager) to be worn by a user. The device includes an alarm which is actuated when either the strength or amplitude of the security signal(s) falls below a predetermined threshold or when such security signals are not received by the device (e.g. pager) for a predetermined period of time. Accordingly, the user is alerted to potential loss, misplacement, and/or theft of the cell phone.

Claims

1. A system for reducing the risk of loss or theft of a cellular telephone, the system comprising:

a cellular telephone including;

(a) a cell phone battery, (b) a wireless cell phone transmitter for voice and DTMF communication with distant phones, pagers, and/or computers via a cellular telephone network, (c) a demodulator for demodulating incoming voice signals; and

(d) a security wireless transmitter for sending wireless security signals to a device to be worn or carried by the user, said cell phone battery supplying power to each of said cell phone transmitter, said demodulator, and said security transmitter;

said device to be worn or carried by the user including (i) a battery, (ii) an alarm, (iii) a security controller, and (iv) a first wireless receiver for receiving said wireless security signals sent from said security transmitter of said cellular phone, said battery in said device to be worn or carried by the user supplying power to said security controller, said alarm, and said first receiver;

wherein said security controller in said device to be worn or carried by the user includes means for actuating said alarm in response to one of;

(i) the wireless security signal received by said first receiver from said cell phone being of a strength or amplitude below or equal to a predetermined threshold; and

(ii) no wireless security signal above the predetermined threshold being received by said first receiver from said cell phone for a predetermined period of time, whereby the user is alerted to cell phone misplacement, loss, or theft by actuation of said alarm;

wherein said device to be worn or carried by the user includes a pager for receiving wireless paging message signals from a telephone system indicative of a calling party'"'"'s number, said pager further including (v) a second wireless paging receiver for receiving said paging message signals, said second receiver being powered by said battery in said device and being separate and distinct from said first receiver; and

(vi) a display for displaying data relating to received paging messages, said display also being powered by said battery in said device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said security wireless transmitter intermittently transmits said security signals to said first receiver.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said cell phone further includes an alarm and means for actuating said cell phone alarm when a signal from said device is received indicative of potential loss, theft, or misplacement of said cell phone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said device to be worn or carried by the user further includes a responsive transmitter for sending alarm signals to said phone in response to one of:

(i) the wireless security signal received by said first receiver from said cell phone being of a strength or amplitude below or equal to a predetermined threshold; and

(ii) no wireless security signal above the predetermined threshold being received by said first receiver from said cell phone for a predetermined period of time.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said cellular telephone further includes an alarm which is actuated in response to receipt of said signals from said responsive transmitter of said device to be worn or carried by the user, said alarm in said phone outputting one of an audible alarm signal, an optical alarm signal, and a vibrating alarm signal.

6. A method of reducing the risk of loss or theft of a cellular telephone, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a cellular phone including a cell phone battery, a wireless cell phone transmitter for voice and DTMF communication with distant phones, pagers, and/or computers via a cellular telephone network, a demodulator for demodulating incoming voice signals, and a security wireless transmitter for sending wireless security signals to a device to be worn or carried by the user;

providing said device to be worn or carried by the user, said device including a battery, an alarm, a security controller, and a first wireless receiver for receiving wireless security signals sent from said security transmitter of said cellular telephone, said battery in said device to be worn or carried by the user supplying power to said security controller, said alarm and said first receiver;

determining when said first wireless receiver in said device receives a security signal from said cellular telephone having a power or amplitude level below a predetermined threshold;

actuating an alarm in said device when it is determined that said security signal receives from said cell phone is below said threshold; and

wherein said device to be worn or carried by the user includes a pager for receiving wireless paging message signals from a telephone system indicative of a calling party.

7. A system for reducing the risk of loss or theft of an electronic device, the system comprising:

the electronic device including;

(a) a battery;

(b) a wireless transmitter for communication with distant phones, pagers, and/or computers via a network;

(c) a demodulator for demodulating incoming signals; and

(d) a security wireless transmitter for sending wireless security signals to a device to be worn or carried by a user, the battery supplying power to each of the transmitter, the demodulator, and the security transmitter;

said device to be worn or carried by the user including;

(i) a battery;

(ii) an alarm;

(iii) a security controller; and

(iv) a first wireless receiver for receiving said wireless security signals sent from said security transmitter of;

said electronic device, said battery in said device to be worn or carried by the user supplying power to said security controller, said alarm, and said first receiver;

wherein said security controller in said device to be worn or carried by the user includes means for actuating said alarm in response to one of;

(i) the wireless security signal received by the first receiver from the electronic device being of a strength or amplitude below or equal to a predetermined threshold; and

(ii) no wireless security signal above the predetermined threshold being received by said first receiver from said electronic device for a predetermined period of time, whereby the user is alerted to misplacement, loss, or theft of the electronic device by actuation of said alarm; and

wherein said device to be worn or carried by the user includes a pager for receiving wireless paging message signals from a telephone system indicative of a calling party'"'"'s number, said pager further including a second wireless paging receiver for receiving said paging message signals, said second receiver being powered by said battery in said pager; and

a display for displaying data relating to received paging messages, said display also being powered by said battery in said pager.